Nairalanders is corruption actually stealing or is Stealing really corruption we need to trash this out because of posterity how can so many learned people on this forum say corruption is one and the same with stealing.

A judge who subvert the truth of a case is considered corrupt and not a thief.

A man who for the first time in his life steal something is referred to as a thief and not the other way.

I have never seen a thief been chased down the road and you hear people say catch him he is corrupt instead we use the word catch that thief he stole from me.

In the real sense of the word "some" forms of stealing can qualify as corruption. Some cant.

E.g. A public officer diverting public funds to private accounts qualify as both stealing and corruption

A public officer using his office to ease the process of getting his relative employed qualifies as corruption but that's not necessarily stealing

But an armed robber waiting for vehicles with guns and robbing people is pure stealing but that is not corruption.

The essence of the word corrupt or corruption assumes some level of responsibility and dignity that is being tarnished or adulterated due to some malpractices. Nobody looks up to a thief with some dignity or expect them to operate on a higher moral pedestal that is why it is out of place to describe a thief with the word corrupt.

Hence those who try to distinguish between the word stealing and corruption are not in anyway trivialising corruption. If anything they are emphasizing the enormity of what is going on in public offices in Nigeria when they try to draw a distinction between stealing and corruption. They are arguing that the seriousness of siphoning public funds into private accounts gets downplayed with the word corruption when in truth what is happening is outright stealing.

In 2006 Nuhu Ribadu made a similar argument about Sani Yerima of Zamfara State while accusing Governors of Corruption. In the case of Zamfara he emphasized that what is going on there is outright stealing without the involvement of any 3rd parties because in his words Sani Yerima was simply diverting State funds directly from State Accounts to private accounts. He is not even disguising it by setting up contactors with fronts like you currently have in Lagos where Tinubu's proxy companies do all sorts of work for the Lagos State Government and inflating cost without being subject to competition.

So eventhough in terms of technicalities of English language "Stealing is not corruption" may be wrong. I understand the sentiments behind the argument. There is some truth in it.
What goes on in public offices in Nigeria is stealing but in most developed countries you have corruption in public offices!

I Have always thought of this, even the dictionary definition is different. Yet people think G.E.J does not know what he is saying. Stealing is Stealing. But not all corrupt act is termed stealing.

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obamartins:
I Have always thought of this, even the dictionary definition is different. Yet people think G.E.J does not know what he is saying. Stealing is Stealing. But not all corrupt act is termed stealing.

It is not even in the definitions.
The point the man was making is this:

That someone working for that government stole, does not mean that Government is corrupt.
Corruption is the rot in the whole system.

obamartins:
I Have always thought of this, even the dictionary definition is different. Yet people think G.E.J does not know what he is saying. Stealing is Stealing. But not all corrupt act is termed stealing.

Exactly

Nigerians choose to be wilfully shallow at times and even Buhari made it a campaign theme.

Stealing is not corruption.

FastShipping:
[b]Stealing public funds meant for public use is CORRUPTION[b]

The act of moving the money to your private account is outright stealing

But it's also corruption because you abused your office to gain this advantage

Note the difference

mikeansy:


The act of moving the money to your private account is outright stealing

But it's also corruption because you abused your office to gain this advantage

Note the difference

Stop spinning rubbish.

In Nigeria's case, we are talking of diverting public funds when we talk about corruption. Most of the corruption in our society today only happen in our government agencies and parastatals.

Whether it is true or not a leader who is leading a nation that is corruption infested should not have made such statements.

Stealing is one offence, one repentance and one forgiveness. Corruption is wickedness, selfishness, 666, anti-Grace, foolishness, stupidity and ignorance. It requires serious repentance and you must be born again to be forgiven.

Playing with definitions and words is hypocrisy. 20$ billions are still missing but there is no thief?

Another form of playing with definitions and words that fund looters use is when they say that the money was "borrowed".

They play games with definitions and words just to avoid being classified as a "thief" or a "corrupt"

Stealing is one offence, one repentance and one forgiveness. COrruption is many offences under one description, requires serious repentance and you must be "born again" to be forgiven.

Horus:
Playing with definitions and words is hypocrisy. 20$ billions are still missing but there is no thief?

Another form of playing with definitions and words that fund looters use is when they say that the money was "borrowed".

They play games with definitions and words just to avoid being classified as a "thief" or a "corrupt"

President Goodluck Jonathan said "that most of what is referred to as corruption is no more than ‘common stealing’ - See more at: http://africacheck.org/reports/is-president-jonathan-right-to-claim-most-corruption-is-just-common-stealing/#sthash.ubWmNUsa.dpuf"

You guys just read something online without bothering to find out the context G.E.J was been quoted. He said most of the things we call corruption is not corruption but out right stealing. Meaning we should stop referring to Thieves as corrupt individuals but call them the name they are, "THIEVES". i see nothing wrong with that statement. I repeat, stealing is not corruption. A thief is a thief, nothing more.

obamartins:
President Goodluck Jonathan said "that most of what is referred to as corruption is no more than ‘common stealing’ - See more at: http://africacheck.org/reports/is-president-jonathan-right-to-claim-most-corruption-is-just-common-stealing/#sthash.ubWmNUsa.dpuf"

You guys just read something online without bothering to find out the context G.E.J was been quoted. He said most of the things we call corruption is not corruption but out right stealing. Meaning we should stop referring to Thieves as corrupt individuals but call them the name they are, "THIEVES". i see nothing wrong with that statement. I repeat, stealing is not corruption. A thief is a thief, nothing more.

Thank you!


The people criticising the president are the ones trivialising stealing by calling it corruption

Common thieves are being elevated as corrupt!

Stealing is not corruption

I support the sentiment!

obamartins:
President Goodluck Jonathan said "that most of what is referred to as corruption is no more than ‘common stealing’ - See more at: http://africacheck.org/reports/is-president-jonathan-right-to-claim-most-corruption-is-just-common-stealing/#sthash.ubWmNUsa.dpuf"

You guys just read something online without bothering to find out the context G.E.J was been quoted. He said most of the things we call corruption is not corruption but out right stealing. Meaning we should stop referring to Thieves as corrupt individuals but call them the name they are, "THIEVES". i see nothing wrong with that statement. I repeat, stealing is not corruption. A thief is a thief, nothing more.

Then you should see nothing wrong in sending G.E.J to prison. No matter his playing with definitions and words, he will still finish his life in prison

Horus:


Then you should see nothing wrong in sending G.E.J to prison. No matter his playing with definitions and words, he will still finish his life in prison

How do you know where he will finish his life?

"He said most of the things we call corruption is not corruption but out right stealing"
GEJ

Let us use Gen Buhari comment on Abacha as test case "Abacha was not corrupt"....That mean , Abacha billion were stolen and not from corrupt practices....so abacha was not corrupt but a thief..corruption is not stealing according to GEJ and Gen Buhari ....chikena !!!!!!!

deji68:
Let use to Gen Buhari comment on Abacha as test case "Abacha was not corrupt"....That mean , Abacha billion were stolen and not from corrupt practices....so abacha was not corrupt but a thief..corruption is not stealing according to GEJ and Gen Buhari ....chikena !!!!!!!

master class!!!!

mikeansy:


How do you know where he will finish his life?

How do you know where he will not finish his life?

obamartins:
President Goodluck Jonathan said "that most of what is referred to as corruption is no more than ‘common stealing’ - See more at: http://africacheck.org/reports/is-president-jonathan-right-to-claim-most-corruption-is-just-common-stealing/#sthash.ubWmNUsa.dpuf"

You guys just read something online without bothering to find out the context G.E.J was been quoted. He said most of the things we call corruption is not corruption but out right stealing. Meaning we should stop referring to Thieves as corrupt individuals but call them the name they are, "THIEVES". i see nothing wrong with that statement. I repeat, stealing is not corruption. A thief is a thief, nothing more.

you miss the entire import of what gej was trying to do which is to play down the corruption tag his administration had acquired. see his statement which you quoted "that most of what is referred to as corruption is no more than ‘common stealing’'

that statement to every honest adult, paraphrased means ''stop tagging everything as corruption when some are just mere stealing and unworthy of being elevated to a corrupt practice'' forgetting that taking what doesnt belong to you is dishoesty hence an act of corruption

merriam-webster dictionary defines corruption as

:dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people (such as government officials or police officers)

:the act of corrupting someone or something

:something that has been changed from its original form

with respect to the bold portion, is stealing an act of dishonesty? then it's corruption

corruption can come in varied forms but every act of dishonesty (especially by govt officials), including stealing govt money or inflating contracts is corruption

Abio just dey test my Theoretical Phy 404 ...

mikeansy:


master class!!!!

obamartins:
I Have always thought of this, even the dictionary definition is different. Yet people think G.E.J does not know what he is saying. Stealing is Stealing. But not all corrupt act is termed stealing.

The aim of corruption is to steal.

It could be an opportunity, money, property, position etc that gets stolen but its aim is to illegally benefit somthing of value.

It takes a corrupt person to steal.

To understand the statement stealing is not corruption you need to go back to the spirit of the times in Igbo land to understand where the speaker is coming from. There's a twisted maxim elders used to protect a favourite child caught in the act. They always argue in favour of the child that 'Taking is not Stealing' in the presence of everybody and will go back in private and scold the child never to try such thing again. It was a popular maxim we used to joke with back then. I believe GEJ was trying to use such old twisted maxim to protect some of his beloved ministers but it backfired heavily on him. Poor him. He sometimes have clear intents but his archaic methods gets him misunderstood.

ba7man:
The aim of corruption is to steal.

It could be an opportunity, money, property, position etc that gets stolen but its aim is to illegally benefit somthing of value.

It takes a corrupt person to steal.

The fact remains that they are two different words and cannot be used interchangeably, that's what i want to establish.

obamartins:
The fact remains that they are two different words and cannot be used interchangeably, that's what i want to establish.

The more you guys try to defend that daft statement, the more dubious you all seem.

ba7man:
The more you guys try to defend that daft statement, the more dubious you all seem.

. Show some respect, he is still your president and u ought to show him some respect. Don't be bitter, we are only trying to establish some fact here. The fact still remains that corruption will be a very difficult thing to eradicate in our type of democracy. U guys clamored for separation of power, hence the judiciary is independent and the most corrupt arm of government as we speak, why not shift some of the blame to them.

obamartins:
. Show some respect, he is still your president and u ought to show him some respect. Don't be bitter, we are only trying to establish some fact here. The fact still remains that corruption will be a very difficult thing to eradicate in our type of democracy. U guys clamored for separation of power, hence the judiciary is independent and the most corrupt arm of government as we speak, why not shift some of the blame to them.

I respect people because of their actions, not position.

Because a man occupies a higher position than me doesn't mean I automatically fall in line.

I'll still question his motives regardless of how powerful or rich he is.

You should do the same too. What if a thief became President?? Will you automatically respect him or try to expose him for what he is??


As for corruption, when the head is corrupt, the body will stay corrupt. GEJ has had numerous opportunities to show a stand against corruption but its almost as if he supports it.


We're both Nigerians and we know the cases I'm refering to.

ba7man:
I respect people because of their actions, not position.

Because a man occupies a higher position than me doesn't mean I automatically fall in line.

I'll still question his motives regardless of how powerful or rich he is.

You should do the same too. What if a thief became President?? Will you automatically respect him or try to expose him for what he is??

well! I am taught to respect people in position of authority, that doesn't mean ass licking. It is easier to criticize from out side. I pray for leaders, not out right criticism. Like i said earlier, i am here to establish the fact that stealing is not corruption. Have a goodnight rest and learn to see things from all angles b4 criticizing.

Horus:


Then you should see nothing wrong in sending G.E.J to prison. No matter his playing with definitions and words, he will still finish his life in prison

Your hatred for GEJ have twisted you and your fellow goons that you guys can't Read through the line.